More than me
By Jessica Brodie
Do you ever get those mine-mine-mine moments? When I was younger, I was guilty of never, ever sharing my food. If I made a bowl of cereal and my sister asked for a bite, I’d give her the glare: “Make your own.”
Tithing? Forget it—the old me thought that was “my” money. The church didn’t really need it.
And when it came to work, younger me figured that was something you did to get paid or improve your life.
Over the years, my self-absorbed, self-centered, selfish self has considerably lightened up (thankfully!). Between becoming a mom and finally making enough money that I didn’t feel the need to count every last one of my pennies, my heart expanded and my soul began to embrace generosity. Sharing or doing things for others “just because” became a natural response.
One especially neat place where I see this is when it comes to the gifts, skills, and seemingly inherent abilities each one of us has.
God blessed me with the ability to write and communicate both quickly and effectively. As a Christian, I naturally want to use those gifts for His glory. That means a lot of things, from writing about Him and the beauty He creates in nature to personal relationships.
He also blessed me with the ability to notice that beauty and point others to it, so that might translate to photography, using my words for encouragement, or even just smiling at a stranger.
I started out as a “secular” journalist, and over the years this turned into me taking a position as editor and writer for a religious newspaper, the Advocate, which has been a wonderful blessing—I get paid to point others to God and tell His stories. The fiction I write, too, has changed with my faith growth. It’s all God-focused and inspirational, even though much of it involves gritty issues the characters face, from abuse or poverty to family dysfunction or depression.
It’s not just the work I do but everything—the way I parent, the way I love my husband, the way I approach my friendships. All of it centers on God.
I don’t excel at this all the time. I’m definitely a work in progress. But it reminds me of Paul’s words in Galatians, where he warns the early church to think beyond themselves and their own selfish concerns and, instead, concern themselves with God and His people.
As Paul writes, “Those who plant only for their own benefit will harvest devastation from their selfishness, but those who plant for the benefit of the Spirit will harvest eternal life from the Spirit” (Galatians 6:8 CEB).
Don’t hoard your gifts, Paul’s saying—use them for God!
Paul is right: What we do in this life is more than about us and taking care of our needs. Whether it’s a gift, blessing, skill, or relationship, the work we do should always be about more than us. Even when it’s down-and-dirty, “menial” work, it’s important when it points to something bigger—God.
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul urged the church to remember that we are all working for a higher purpose. So if you’re a slave (or a servant, or an “underling”), obey your masters (or your manager, or your CEO) in everything, not just when others are watching you.
“Whatever you do,” Paul writes, “do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23).
In all we do, from our job to our relationships, we must remember: We serve the risen Lord. Don’t hoard your gifts or use them just for your gain.
Use them for God, for good.
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